Ice Cube’s 1998 directorial debut The Players Club is a cult classic to some. The film starred many actors before they blew up, including Jamie Foxx, Bernie Mac, Terrance Howard, and others. However, the star of the film, LisaRaye McCoy says that it was hard for herself to find her identity in Hollywood after the release of the film.
In an interview with Page Six, McCoy said “I had an identity crisis after ‘Players Club’ because I felt like I had to have the long hair and look like my character, ‘Diamond,’ in order to be recognized.”
She noted that The Players Club catapulted her career and made her a sex symbol, meaning that people would “think that you’re sexy all the time, and that stigma follows you.”
She went on to say how that even at 54 years old, she is still Diamond. “I’m an older ‘Diamond’ now, but diamonds always shine, so I am here for it. I did not know what sexy was at the time… I think it was best for me not to really know, because I probably would’ve tried to play it up in my role and messed it up.”
Despite having an “identity crisis” after the film, she praised Ice Cube for his guidance on the film and for helping her feel comfortable while filming.
“He was so professional. I didn’t even see the rapper then.,” said McCoy. “I saw the father, the businessman, the director. He was gracious enough to set up multiple cameras, and I did the strip scene maybe twice. So he allowed me to what I needed for a green new actress.”
“They gave me a trainer for a good six weeks so that helped me feel more confident about my body. So when it was time to do a striptease, Ice Cube was so great, and [was] there for me as a new actress.”
On a budget of $5 million, The Players Club went on to gross $23 million. Even though it is Cube’s only director credit, he has added multiple producer credits to his resume throughout his career in film.
